


Two for One Special

by ithilien22



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 11:45:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6752629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ithilien22/pseuds/ithilien22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus and Alec have a brief and unexpected encounter with the alternate universe Alec, and it's not quite as fun as Magnus might have imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two for One Special

**Author's Note:**

> I take a lot of liberties with portal magic in this story, and never exactly manage to explain how two Alecs could be in the same place at once. Magic is just... weird sometimes? IDK, we're already dealing with alternate universes here, so I think I can maybe be given a little slack on that front.

Magnus is just finally settling into a long anticipated make out session with his boyfriend when he hears it. He groans aloud at the terrible timing, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) Alexander mistakes his frustration for encouragement, continuing to trail kisses down Magnus's throat and across his collarbone. For a brief moment, Magnus is so caught up in the sensation that he contemplates just pretending he didn't actually hear anything at all.

Well, _hear_ is maybe not the right word, really. It's more like a subtle energy shift ripples through the apartment and causes a gentle _pop_ in his mind, alerting him that something isn't right. As much as he might like to, he knows it's not something he should ignore.

So after a moment, he reluctantly stills Alexander from continuing what had been turning into a very promising exploration of his chest, and shifts them both up so that they're face to face. 

"Something's wrong," Magnus admits softly, still loathe to ruin the moment. They've barely even started anything, but Alec already looks _wrecked_ , hair messier than usual and eyes lingering on the curve of Magnus's bottom lip. Magnus swallows hard, trying not to let himself lose focus.

"I think someone's in the apartment."

It takes a second for Magnus's words to register, but as soon as they do Alec is instantly and fully on alert, his eyes sharpening and his shoulders tensing. Without responding, he rolls quickly but silently off of the bed towards the door. Alec's bow is currently still where he left it out in the parlor - not really something one typically needs in the bedroom - so Magnus can easily guess where Alec is headed.

"Wait here," Alec commands, voice low as he cautiously peers around the edge of the bedroom door. "I'll go check it out."

Magnus only barely resists the urge to roll his eyes. He knows Alec is just acting on instinct - his urge to protect is greater than anyone Magnus has ever met - but Magnus didn't become the High Warlock of Brooklyn based on his looks and charm alone. He doesn't need a _Shadowhunter_ to protect him, even if he happens to be quite fond of this one in particular.

"I don't think so," Magnus responds impatiently, ignoring Alec's soft gasp as his bow and quiver suddenly appear across his shoulder, sufficiently distracting him as Magnus rises from the bed and moves to join him at the door. 

"This is my apartment," he reminds Alec, softening his voice slightly at the sight of Alec's wide eyes. "I can deal with any late night visitors."

"Right," Alec agrees, having the grace to look a little sheepish. "Sorry, I..."

Magnus holds up a hand to stop the stuttering apology he knows is coming. Despite how much he enjoys a flustered Alexander, they unfortunately have more pressing concerns at the moment.

Magnus glances down at himself and sighs deeply. _So much for his promising evening._ He grudgingly reconjures the shirt he had been wearing before he moves to leave the bedroom, not bothering to silence his steps as Alec had done.

"Who dares disturb the High Warlock of Brooklyn?" he bellows, using a little trace of magic to make his voice echo low and dangerous, just for that extra touch of drama.

A crash sounds from the parlor, followed by a slightly frantic, but oddly familiar, and not at all intimidating, "ow fuck!"

Magnus shares a sideways glance with Alec before they both move to follow the noise, the edge of panic now gone from the moment.

Things only get infinitely weirder when they reach the parlor, however. The crash they heard turns out to be a mid-century vase that's now dashed across the floor, but the person kneeling amongst the pieces is of much greater interest.

The intruder looks up at their entrance and his eyes widen almost comically. Beside him, Magnus feels Alexander tense.

Alec Lightwood is, of course, still standing beside Magnus, hair delightfully mussed from their earlier activities, a heavy frown now gracing his features. He is also, somehow, crouched on Magnus's floor, hair perfectly coiffed, seemingly frozen in the act of trying to reassemble a shattered vase.

"What the fuck," both Alecs breathe out in unison, staring at one another across the room.

Magnus is pretty sure he had a dream like this once. He pinches himself subtly, just to be sure. _Well, definitely not dreaming then._

"Alexander Lightwood, I presume?" Magnus finally breaks the growing silence to ask, trying to project a calmer demeanor than he truly feels. When the 'other Alec' simply continues to stare, he adds, "Don't worry about the vase darling, it was hideous anyway. Good riddance."

With a casual pulse of magic, the broken shards disappear (or rather, move themselves to the garbage can in the kitchen) and the movement seems to finally snap Magnus's new guest out of his stupor.

"What - how?" The boy scrambles to stand and takes a half step backwards away from Magnus, though he seems to quickly realize there's not much more space for him to retreat before he's up against the back wall. Magnus slowly holds up his palms in a gesture of peace, belatedly realizing that displaying his magic may have been the wrong choice, when his visitor's eyes widen in recognition.

"You're that guy from the party," he says, frowning as he tries to recall. "Matt. Mark?"

Magnus feels himself frown at the lack of recognition, but before he can correct the slight, _his_ Alexander jumps in with an annoyed, "It's Magnus. Magnus Bane."

The other Alec's gaze snaps over to Alexander as he speaks, and Magnus chances a sideways glance at him as well, trying to gauge how well his boyfriend is taking the unexpected situation they've found themselves in. Things don't look especially promising on that front; Alexander's scowl has deepened to a near-grimace and his posture is almost painfully tense, arms crossed defensively. Magnus sighs internally.

"Wait, who are you?" the other Alec demands, crossing his own arms to (perhaps subconsciously) mirror his 'twin', "And why do you look like me? How did I get here?"

He's starting to look more and more panicked as the questions spill out, eyes flicking around the apartment nervously. It's odd to watch him move; some of his mannerisms are so like the Alec that Magnus is familiar with, while in other ways the resemblance seems to disappear entirely. This Alec has no runes, for example, no trace of the distinctive marking on his neck that Magnus would normally expect to see peeking out from the collar of the well-fitted polo he's wearing. The way he holds himself is different too, but Magnus can't say exactly how. 

"Well, what were you doing before you found yourself in my parlor?" Magnus asks gently, deciding that the last question is probably the safest to address for the time being.

"I was..." Alec trails off, brow furrowed in concentration. "I was at the Institute? Izzy needed some help moving a new shipment that got delivered after hours. Jace was supposed to help too, but he was late, as usual."

At the mention of the Institute, things start to slot together in Magnus's mind. When Clary had traveled to the alternate universe, she'd said they had found the remaining portal hidden in the basement of the Institute. If the portal wasn't properly closed, perhaps that world's Alec had fallen through somehow? But even so, why would it deposit him into Magnus's parlor?

"He's from the other universe," his Alec surmises, unaware that Magnus's own thoughts have led him to the same conclusion, "the one that Jace and Clary were in when they were tracking Valentine."

"Only, how are we both here?" he asks, brow furrowed in concern.

"I don't know," Magnus admits. "The portal must have worked differently this time -"

"Other universe? Portal?" polo-wearing Alec interrupts, repeating their phrases back skeptically. Magnus is about to explain - although _how_ , he's not entirely sure - when he sees the other Alec's expression suddenly lighten considerably.

"I remember now!" He exclaims, digging in his pocket and pulling out an amusingly rainbow-clad cell phone, "I got distracted by a text and tripped while I was carrying some of the boxes up from the basement. I must have fallen and hit my head or something."

He pauses, considering, "And now I guess I'm having some sort of bizarre and oddly fantasy-themed coma dream? I knew I shouldn't have let Izzy and Simon talk me into that Star Wars marathon."

Magnus shares a glance with Alexander. It's actually a better outcome than he had been hoping for when this conversation began. He would wager that someone who thinks he is in a dream should be much more easily persuaded to follow their lead than someone who has unexpectedly wound up in an alternate reality. 

"Yep, you figured it out, congratulations," his Alec agrees flatly, apparently sharing the same instinct as Magnus. He barely pauses before impatiently thrusting an open palm out towards his doppelganger. "Give me your phone."

The other Alec blanches slightly at the request, but after a moment of consideration he shrugs and hands it over. Alexander quickly unlocks it - _guess that's a bit of common ground_ , Magnus muses - and scrolls through the last text messages received.

"Who's 'Great Ass'?" Alec asks, his distaste evident. Magnus, reading over his shoulder, notes that he doesn't bother to include the several heart and 100 sign emojis that follow the name in question.

"Him, obviously," the other Alec responds, gesturing at Magnus. Now that he's no longer afraid for his life, he's started to eye Magnus with a new appreciation in his gaze. Magnus's Alexander, on the other hand, is looking more and more murderous by the moment, subconsciously clutching the strap of his quiver with the hand that's not holding his counterpart's phone.

"Sorry, that's why I didn't remember your name right away," the leering Alec adds, addressing Magnus directly. He doesn't look very apologetic, and the wink he offers at the end of his statement certainly doesn't help his credibility.

"Well, I can hardly argue with that moniker," Magnus allows graciously. He catches sight of Alexander's grim expression and resolves to steer the conversation into safer waters. "So, I was the last person to text you?"

The other Alec nods. 

"Three weeks late, I might add," he says with an exaggerated pout. Then he leers at Magnus again and adds, "But I'm still hoping you'll make it up to me."

His Alexander makes an indistinct noise at that - something between a snort and a scoff - and his fidgeting starts to become more pronounced. Magnus takes the phone from him, but ignores the other Alec's innuendos in favor of focusing on the enormous relief he feels. This last piece of information, while not explaining the portal's behavior entirely, at least offers a possible explanation as to why it spat this alternative universe's Alec out in Magnus's apartment, of all places: he must have still been thinking of his universe's Magnus as he fell through. It also means that it should be relatively simple to put him back where he belongs.

"You boys play nice for a moment, I'll be right back," Magnus says. His Alec looks a little like he wants to argue, but thankfully allows Magnus to slip out of the room without protest.

Once Magnus reaches the den, he quickly grabs a piece of paper and begins jotting out detailed instructions. Clary mentioned that his alternative self was a little... out of practice; Magnus hopes he can handle this. He hesitates and then rummages in the desk for an anchoring stone he knows is around somewhere. After he finds it, he imbues it with as much extra magic as he dares to part with before rolling it up inside the instructions he's written. _Just in case_ , he thinks.

When he returns to the parlor, the finds the other Alec has crossed the room and is now occupying his boyfriend's personal space. He's also smirking rather smugly while Alexander, on the other hand, somehow manages to look even more uncomfortable than he has all night, a faint blush climbing up his neck. Magnus has to admit, though - the two of them together certainly does make for a pretty picture. 

"I don't suppose I could convince anyone that the answer to this problem lies in a threesome?" he can't help but joke, immediately drawing both pairs of equally gorgeous hazel eyes to him as he walks back into the room. Alternate universe Alec lets out a surprised laugh at his suggestion, but Alexander's expression completely closes off. Magnus feels his stomach drop. 

"Got it, just the portal then," he recovers lamely, quickly moving to open one against the far wall. The other Alec's eyes widen in awe at witnessing another display of magic and he moves slowly towards the shimmering doorway, seemingly mesmerized.

"Take these," Magnus tells him, quickly moving to give him first his own phone back, and then the wrapped stone as well. He nods down at the stone and adds, "But make sure you give this back to me the next time you see me, OK?"

"Is this a 'go into the light' moment?" the other Alec asks, eyeing the portal a little more apprehensively than he had a moment ago.

"You're not going to heaven. Well, at least at the moment," Magnus assures him with a slight chuckle. "Just think of the Institute as you step through the portal and you'll... _wake up_. Safe and sound."

The other Alec nods slightly, and then with one last look at Magnus, he disappears through the portal and Magnus quickly closes it behind him.

"Well, that was new," Magnus says brightly, trying to break through some of the tension he can still feel coming off of Alexander in waves. He's finally removed his bow and quiver, but Magnus doesn't know if that's a good sign or not. "But as long as 'other me' manages to follow the instructions I sent him, that should hopefully be the first and last of any otherworldly visitors."

"Too bad," Alec mutters sullenly. "Maybe you should have kept your upgrade while you had the chance."

"My upgrade?" Magnus repeats uncertainly. He walks over to Alec and moves to take one of his hands, but Alec steps out of his reach, keeping his arms crossed in an all too familiar protective stance.

"Alexander," he tries again, warily. "I was just teasing before. Not my finest moment, I'll give you that, but I was trying to lighten the mood in a stressful situation - that's all."

"That's not... I. You don't - " Alec huffs out a breath, clearly frustrated with his inability to articulate his feelings. "I... he's - that was me, wasn't it? That's who I would be if I weren't a Shadowhunter?"

Alec seems to be genuinely asking him, so Magnus takes a moment to consider the question.

"Lots of things make us who we are, Alexander," he responds. "A person is only the sum of their experiences at any given point in their life. It's why people can change. How they can grow."

"So you think someday I'll be him?" Alec asks, sounding even more dejected by Magnus's response. "You think eventually I'll be this guy who knows how to dress and can flirt with strangers and has a fucking gay pride flag on his cell phone case? Because I'm not ever going to be that guy, Magnus."

"So? I don't want _that guy_ ," Magnus replies immediately, holding Alec's gaze and trying to pour as much sincerity as he can into a single look. He reaches for Alec's hand again, and lets out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when Alec allows him to take it this time. He laces their fingers together and squeezes softly, "I want this guy."

"The guy who can't even have sex with you yet?" Alec asks disdainfully, his blush creeping back up self-consciously. "I bet that version of me had sex with you before he even learned your name."

"The things I feel for you go so far beyond the mere physical," Magnus tells him softly, wishing he could use the words he really wants to. But it's too soon, and this is not that conversation.

"Besides, I've lived a long time, Alec," he adds, offering a half smile. "I like to think I've learned at least a little patience."

Alec's expression softens considerably at Magnus's declaration, and a lot of of the tension he's been holding finally leaves his shoulders. Now mostly he just looks tired, and maybe still a little bit sad.

"I just. Seeing... myself - the things that he said, I." Alec falters again. "I thought making my choice at the wedding was the hard part, but it's this... this every day stuff that normal people know how to do, but I - I just have no clue."

"You said that people aren't just one thing, but I'm a Shadowhunter, Magnus," he continues, voice thick. "That's all I am. _Was_. I don't - I'm not good at being... at _wanting_ things for myself, I - "

Magnus cuts him off with a kiss, not trying to silence him, but just needing to close the space between them. Needing to make Alec understand that this is enough, that _he_ is enough. That he is everything.

At least some of the feeling must come through, because Alec kisses him back just as passionately, hands falling to Magnus's waist and tugging him even closer. It's all urgency and desperation now, none of the slow sweetness they had before their untimely interruption earlier in the evening. That seems like such a long time ago now.

When Alec finally breaks the kiss, he leans his forehead against Magnus's, keeping them connected. They just hold like that for a moment, breathing against each other, neither moving to step back. Magnus brings a hand up to Alec's neck and traces the edge of his rune.

"This is not how I saw this evening going," he eventually voices his most consistent thought of the night, startling a laugh out of Alec, overly loud in the quiet of the moment. When Alec's laughter fades out, his smile remains, and Magnus feels a surge of triumph. How could anyone - even another version of Alec himself - hope to compete with that slow shy smile? _This stupid, beautiful Nephilim._

"Bed?" he suggests softly, feeling the exhaustion start to pull at his shoulders. Alec nods, still pressed against him, and allows himself to be led without protest, having already spent all of his words for the night. _And then some_ , Magnus thinks.

But watching him sleep a few hours later, Magnus knows this won't be the last time they have this conversation - it'll take time and probably some persistence on his part, but Magnus meant what said about learning patience over the years. Relationships are a journey, and he and Alexander are only on the first steps, after all.

He just hopes that the next time doesn't start with another Alec stumbling into his parlor. Turns out that one Alec Lightwood is more than enough for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Come prompt me on [tumblr](https://ithilien-writes.tumblr.com/)! I would really love more Shadowhunters fandom friends to follow.


End file.
